The presentation of the projects participating in this year’s Crossroads Co-production Forum of the 66th TIFF’s Agora took place on Monday, November 3rd, at the Tonia Marketaki Theatre, in the presence of Elise Jalladeau, the Festival’s General Director, Angeliki Vergou, the head of the Agora, as well as the renowned chef Sotiris Kontizas, this year’s Agora ambassador. The 21st Crossroads Co-production Forum gives the opportunity to 14 film projects from 16 countries of the Southeastern Europe and the Mediterranean region to seek co-producers and funding.
Angeliki Vergou, the head of the Agora, warmly welcomed the audience to the Festival: "We are particularly excited to see familiar, but also new faces among us today," she said, before welcoming Elise Jalladeau, the General Director of the Festival.
“This year’s Agora journey kicked off a few days ago with the Agora Series initiative, focusing on audiovisual storytelling, and will be completed with the Agora Awards. During the Agora, we will discover a network featuring the creative teams behind 14 outstanding projects that will be presented today, as well as eight wonderful Works in Progress tomorrow, and we will have the chance to connect with more than 600 guests attending this year’s Agora”, Ms. Jalladeau said. “This year, one of our main issues is fragility, which reminds us of how fragile we are, especially in our corner of the world. And it’s something we also recognize in our own industry. “I would therefore like to invite you, over the next three days, to stand strong together”, she mentioned.
Sotiris Kontizas then took the floor: “I hope you all find what you are looking for. When it comes to films, if your mise en place and preparation are solid, only one truly difficult part remains: the pitching. So go ahead and share your vision and your film”. Addressing the people involved in funding, Mr. Kontizas said: “The weather is beautiful, the city as well, and the Festival is excellent as always. Be generous so that you can be part of great future films. I hope you enjoy it!.”
Afterwards, Angeliki Vergou welcomed the participants of the Thessaloniki Agora Film Lab as well as the Thessaloniki Locarno Industry Academy, and also the speakers of the Agora Talks. Immediately afterwards, she announced this year's winner of the Networking Award of the co-production, training and networking platform DOT.ON.THE.MAP of Cyprus Film Days, the film I am Afraid to Meet You Someday, urging the audience to meet the producer Rasha Hosny later, who was present the audience.
At that point, Erika Zacharopoulou, Coordinator of the Crossroads Co-production Forum, presented this year's jury consisting of Frank Hoeve - producer at BALDR Film (Netherlands), Uljana Kim - producer at Studio Uljana Kim (Lithuania) and Andreas Zoupanos Kritikos - producer and COO of Faliro House (Greece), as well as Mathilde Hersant, member of the jury for the International Arte Kino Award and Head of the Financial Department at ARTE France Cinéma (France).
The Crossroads Co-production Forum Awards, handed out by the jury, include:
The selected projects of this year Crossroads Co-production Forum are:
A GIRL NAMED ZEUS
DIRECTOR: Nikos Dayandas, PRODUCTION: Konstantinos Koukoulis - ΠLANKTON, Greece
THE TIDE HEARS THEM BUT THEY NO LONGER HAVE A VOICE
DIRECTOR: Yiannis Veslemes, PRODUCTION: Nicholas Alavanos - FILMIKI, Greece
WHO KILLED THE PIGEONS
DIRECTOR: Stratis Chatzielenoudas, PRODUCTION: Spyros Skandalos - Assumed Position Films, Greece
PIRATELAND
DIRECTOR: Stavros Petropoulos, PRODUCTION: Leonidas Konstantarakos- Alaska Films, Co-production: Stephane Marschal - Yukunkun Productions, Greece, France
THE DICTATOR'S DREAMS
DIRECTOR: Erenik Beqiri, PRODUCTION: Dritan Huqi - On Film Production, Albania
GIRL OF WIND
DIRECTOR: Moufida Fedhila, PRODUCTION: Mehdi Hmili - Dogma Films, Tunisia
GOODBYE FOR NOW
DIRECTOR: Kasım Ördek, PRODUCTION: Fahriye Ismayilova - Parda Film Production, Co-production: Jules Grange - Kidam Production, Turkey, France
IN GOOD FAITH
DIRECTOR: Anna Wowra, PRODUCTION: Tomáš Pertold, Julie Soffer - Perfilm, Co-production: Dagmara Piasecka - Green Rat, Czech-Republic, Πολωνία in collaboration with MIDPOINT Institute
LA FORMA ANIMAL
DIRECTOR: Isa Luengo, Sofia Esteve, PRODUCTION: Laura Rubirola - Nocturna Pictures, Carlotta Schiavon, Eva Murgui - Vayolet Films, Spain
THE LEAVES HANG TREMBLING
DIRECTOR: Stefan Djordjević, PRODUCTION: Dragana Jovović - Non-Aligned Films, Serbia
THE LIFE AND TIMES OF ION G.
DIRECTOR: Andreea Cristina Bortun, PRODUCTION: Gabi Suciu - Atelier de Film, Romania in collaboration with Sofia Meetings
QUIET LAKE
DIRECTOR: Tonislav Hristov, PRODUCTION: Kaarle Aho & Kai Nordberg - Making Movies, Co-production: Andrea Stanoeva, Tonislav Hristov - Soul Food, Erika Malmgren, Annika Hellström - Cinenic Film, Finland, Bulgaria, Sweden
ROBBING BEIRUT
DIRECTOR: Katia Jarjoura, PRODUCTION: Michel Zana - Blue Train Films, Co-production: Elisa Pirir - Staer Film, Jana Wehbe - The Attic, France, Norway, Lebanon
THE UNMOVING HANDS
DIRECTOR: Víctor Diago, PRODUCTION: Andrés Mellinas - Boogaloo, Spain in collaboration with the Mediterranean Film Institute.
